Record night for Shoemaker

Boise State senior receiver has career-highs in catches, yards, also contributes on fake punt

Boise State wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker (89) slips away from
Colorado State cornerback Shaq Bell (3) during the first half of
Saturday’s game in Fort Collins, Colo.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — One of the biggest questions that Boise
State faced entering the 2011 season was who would step up as the
Broncos’ deep threat with Titus Young gone?

Geraldo Boldewijn seemed like a good candidate, as did speedy
juniors Mitch Burroughs and Chris Potter. Sure, senior Tyler
Shoemaker was the top returner, but he’s a solid possession
type.

“Why not me?” Shoemaker posed hypothetically Saturday after the
Broncos’ 63-13 win at Colorado State. “I don’t know. I ask people
that all the time.”

Well, the former walk-on and Mountain View High graduate, proved
that he can stretch the field with 180 yards receiving on nine
catches Saturday. Shoemaker scored on touchdowns of 52 and 62 yards
from Kellen Moore.

“He did a good job,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “… I
think that helps you when we have a bunch of different guys that
Kellen can throw to, I think the nice thing about it is I don’t
think Kellen’s just trying to throw the ball to Shoe, he’s trying
to throw the ball to the open guy.”

Turns out, Shoemaker was the open guy more often than not, as
his nine catches were a career high, and the most by a Bronco
receiver this year in a single game.

“On film we had some looks that we knew they played their
coverage a certain way against the formations we had, and we took
advantage,” Shoemaker said.

In the Broncos’ two previous games, a 30-10 win at home against
Nevada and a 57-7 win at Fresno State, Shoemaker had four combined
catches for 44 yards.

“Last game, Shoe didn’t get a lot of looks, but at the same time
he was ready for this week and knew he would have plenty of
chances,” Moore said. “… Good schemes dialed up and great routes by
Shoe.”

Shoemaker also accounted for one of the Broncos’ biggest
momentum-turning plays — but it came on the ground.

Facing a fourth-and-6 at their own 41-yard line on the first
drive of the second half, Shoemaker, the upback on the punt, took a
direct snap and ran untouched up the middle, breaking off to the
left for a 36-yard gain.

“We needed that,” Petersen said. “We needed to go down and
score.”

The Broncos punched it in three plays later on a 14-yard Doug
Martin touchdown run, but it could have been bad for Boise State —
Shoemaker fumbled when he was hit from behind, but it went out of
bounds.

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